Welcome to Terms of Exchange
Terms of Exchange is a storytelling series by Jerrold Branche exploring the emotional and literal trades we make for love, time, and even money. Each story unfolds in three acts, with the final act and behind-the-scenes reflections reserved for paid members.
Stories About What We Trade for Love, Time, and Money
In every relationship, something gets exchanged: affection for attention, security for freedom, love for control, and sometimes, the tangible value of fiat currency for the intangible cost of connection.
Terms of Exchange is a digital storytelling series by Jerrold Branche, a writer and digital nomad based in Dallas, Texas. It’s fiction that hits close to home, exploring the quiet deals we make just to feel a little less alone.
The Structure
Each story unfolds in three acts:
- Act I introduces the players and the stakes.
- Act II raises the tension, where things start to shift.
- Act III, where everything lands and someone pays the price, is available only to paid members.
Some stories are about love. Others are about work, ambition, friendship, or survival. But they all orbit the same question: What does it really cost to be seen, chosen, or remembered?
What You’ll Find
You’ll find original writing, optional audio narration, and a Behind the Story section, exclusive to paid subscribers, where Jerrold reflects on each piece: what inspired it, what it cost to write, and what the characters had to lose.
Alongside the stories is Notes, a separate section that’s free for all readers. Notes offers daily reflections on current events and cultural moments, exploring how terms of exchange, of love, time, attention, and money, are being made every day in the real world. It’s a living conversation between fiction and reality, where Jerrold draws connections between the stories we tell and the world we’re navigating.
“We all negotiate for connection,” Branche says. “Some of us just do it with more honesty.”
Behind the Story (Paid Subscribers Only)
Go deeper with Jerrold’s reflections on each story: how real experiences and observations shaped the writing, the choices behind the characters, and what they reveal about the hidden economy of emotion.
Notes
A daily feed of brief commentaries about the real-world events, social shifts, and passing thoughts that inspire Terms of Exchange. These snapshots add context to the stories and show how fiction grows from the world around us.
Article Preview Summary
Terms of Exchange is a storytelling project by Jerrold Branche exploring the emotional and literal trades we make for love, time, and even money. Each story unfolds in three acts, with the final act and behind-the-scenes reflections reserved for paid members. The series blends fiction, real-world inspiration, and intimate commentary on what we give up, and gain, to feel connected.